1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a separation column for use in liquid chromatography, particularly a separation column with an improved preservation stability, and a method for preventing deterioration of a separation column, a method for transporting a separation column and a method for treating a separation column, directed to improvement of the preservation stability, and a filling liquid for a separation column, suitable for enhancing the preservation stability.
2. Related Prior Art
Separation columns and packing materials for use in liquid chromatography are disclosed in detail in Chuichi Hirayama and Yoshio Okamoto: Resin for Chromatography, published by Kyoritsu Shuppan K.K. (1989), where new materials directed particularly to higher functioning of packing materials and possible extension of application fields of packing materials are mentioned.
Separation columns using the new materials directed to higher functioning as a packing material have such problems as a relatively poor stability, faster deterioration during the preservation period from the preparation of the columns to their application or even after their application, that is, shorter life, than ordinary separation columns.
Recently, liquid chromatograph directly solely to clinical chemical analysis has been commercially available. When an operator carries out liquid chromatography with a considerably deteriorated separation column without paying any attention to the deteriorated state, identification errors are liable to occur, or improper calibration of the base line is liable to occur, resulting in involvement of larger errors in quantitative determination. When the operator, paying an attention to deterioration of the separation column, changes parameters of the liquid chromatograph or exchanges the deteriorated separation column with a fresh one, the identification errors can be prevented, but the operator is forced to do such an additional complicated work.
Furthermore, it is difficult to prepare quite identical separation columns, even if the same packing material is packed in the columns, and thus in case of separation columns of shorter life the exchange frequency of columns is increased, resulting in an increase in the risk of deterioration of the resulting chromatogram quality. Thus, some of the separation columns must be preserved in a chilled state to prevent the deterioration during the preservation. However, this procedure has required much time and an additional control means for the preservation and transportation of the separation column.